The Time Band
by CarminaxBuranax
Summary: We all know the story. A 21st-century history lover is dropped into another century where she immediately fits in and goes on a wonderful, action-packed and romantic adventure and saves the day; however, when Kathryn Shaw ends up in 1776 South Carolina, she isn't as pleased as you would think a history buff might be. ThomasxOC
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Janus slammed his phone down in frustration. This was exactly what he had feared. It was precisely what he knew they would do. The worst part was that he knew they had no other choice.

Hemsut Incorportated was an infuriatingly and unbending corporate agency. Posing as a home insurance agency, Janus had always hidden the fact that Hemsut, Inc. was, in fact, a time travel agency. It was essentially the same gist as working as an insurance agent – lots of traveling, difficult clients, and policies that drove agents crazy. It was all part of the cover. Janus didn't think working for Hemsut was that bad at all, despite his recent conversation with his case supervisor.

It had happened in California in the year 1850. Janus had been on a small assignment to keep some local gold rushers in check (their behavior had resulted in the death of a future member of the United States presidential cabinet). While his mission had been successful, Janus had suffered a bullet wound to the gut as a result. Being a death sentence in 1850, this forced Janus to return to the present and seek treatment and, much to his chagrin, six weeks of recovery.

The angering phone call from his boss had informed him of this, and that his next mission would be passed off to none other than a newbie. The worst part was that he was in charge of making sure this amateur not only landed safely, but didn't do anything stupid, which he was sure whoever it was would. The new assignment was a five year mission beginning in the year 1776. Janus supposed he should be forgiven for not believing that a seventeen-year-old could handle a revolution. Seventeen. Years. Old. He couldn't believe it. Nonetheless, he knew he had to obey.

While the author cannot disclose the true identity of Agent Janus, the following story must be told nonetheless, as the following sequence of events will change the course of history as we once knew it.

 **A/N: Please R &R and let me know what you think! This is a new style of story for me which I intend to see to the end, so please review – constructive criticism extremely welcome!**


	2. At the Ballet

Curtain call came and she relaxed. It was over. Her feet ached and she could not feel her legs as she gracefully took her second and final bow.

After every show, she nearly always felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She padded back to the soloist dressing room in her now retired pair of pointe shoes. She peeled them off and placed them in the trash bin underneath her dressing table. She quickly let her hair down, removed her stage makeup, and changed.

"What's the rush?" one of the other girls asked.

"Family's waiting," she responded.

"Ah, the congratulatory dinner," the other girl, Lucy, replied. "There's one after every major role, isn't there?"

"That there is," she responded.

Kathryn Shaw was an impressive ballet dancer for her age. She held the position of soloist at the young age of seventeen, and had just that night wrapped her performance as Juliet in Prokofiev's _Romeo and Juliet_. She had been dancing for as long as she could remember, and it had been the dream role. In the present moment, however, she was anxious to leave the theater and see her family. As she was readying to leave the dressing room, the director popped his head in.

"Congratulations Katie," he said. "Truly well done. I can't wait to see the reviews." He winked at her and she gave a small smile, acutely aware of the pairs of eyes glaring at her back.

"Thanks Shawn," she said, smiling humnly. Soloists were not typically given lead roles, and so Shawn's decision had infuriated many an ambitious young dancer in the company. "Oh," he said, before closing the door behind him. "This was dropped off in the office for you too." He handed her a bouquet of sunflowers and a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. She took them from him, and he left. She furrowed her brow. Her family wouldn't drop something off – they were waiting just outside. She returned to her station and unwrapped the gift, throwing away the packaging. Inside was a ring with an oval-shaped emerald laid in liver. It shone beautifully in the light. This confused her more, but she didn't want to linger with it in front of everyone. Shrugging it off, she threw the ring in her bag, shouldered it, and trotted out the door, exclaiming farewells over her shoulder.

* * *

A ballerina. A _ballerina_. He couldn't believe it. Why the hell were they sending a 5"1 dancer into a war? What skills did she have with a gun? What the hell did she even know about the time period? Janus didn't understand the choice one bit, but he knew Hemsut almost always got the job done. Why a _ballet dancer_ though? It didn't matter. He had done what he needed to here, and now he would move on. He scoffed angrily and left the theater.

* * *

The post-show dinner was at the same restaurant as always. It was Katie and her family's regular spot in New York for post-performance celebrations, so much so that all the staff knew them.

After a long while of cheerful laughter and conversation, Katie excused herself to use the restroom. After washing her hands, she turned to leave, and put her hand in her pocket, and then stopped. She removed her hand, and in her palm was the ring that had been in the package from earlier that night.

Katie's heart skipped a beat. She must have put the ring in her pocket and only the package in her bag in her rush, she reasoned. She stopped and took a moment to admire the ring and, after a moment's consideration, slipped it on her left index finger. She liked it. She only wished she knew who it came from. Not knowing unsettled her.

She turned and exited the restroom to return to her family, only to find 1776 on the other side of the door.


End file.
